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Tuesday, 29 December 2020 01:28 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya
The Divulapitiya, Peliyagoda and prisons COVID-19 triple cluster yesterday rose to 37,890 patients with the detection of 549 COVID-19 positive persons. According to the Department of Government Information, 530 of the cases were associates of the Peliyagoda COVID-19 cluster.
This brings the total number of COVID-19 patients detected in the island to 41,603. The total count also includes 1,654 Sri Lankan returnees from abroad, 950 Navy personnel and their contacts, 651 persons linked to the Kandakadu cluster, and 127 foreigners.
The Epidemiology Unit states that 8,188 persons are currently under medical care at 66 treatment centres in the island. This includes 566 persons at the Punani Treatment Centre, 526 persons at the Bingiriya Treatment Centre, and 425 persons at the Gallela Treatment Centre.
Hospitals are also monitoring 614 persons suspected of having COVID-19.
The Epidemiology Unit adds that hospitals discharged 520 persons yesterday and the recoveries include 151 persons from the Kopai Treatment Centre, 82 persons from the Bandarawela District Hospital, and 40 persons from the Neville Fernando Hospital.
A total of 33,221 persons have recovered to date.
In terms of the district distribution of COVID-19 patients, the Epidemiology Unit states that 16,872 persons from Colombo, 8,654 persons from Gampaha, and 2,810 persons from Kalutara, are among the total patients detected in the island. In addition to the patients identified from the Western Province, 1,164 persons from Kandy, 679 persons from Kalmunai, and 572 persons from Kurunegala have also tested positive for the virus.
Of the 674 patients detected on Sunday, 174 were from Colombo, 153 were from Gampaha, 110 were from Kalutara, 52 were from Kandy, and 50 were from Ratnapura. Six overseas arrivals also tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday.
Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Samaraweera yesterday said between 500 and 600 patients are detected in the island daily and that a majority of the patients are from the Colombo Municipal area and Western Province.
“We have also detected a large number of patients from some organisations in the Sithawaka Investment Zone. We are taking measures to control this situation by temporarily suspending operations at these organisations, identifying patients, quarantining contacts, and enforcing movement restrictions,” he said, adding that the staff as well as management of the organisations have a responsibility to prevent the spread of the virus within the company.
Meanwhile, the Epidemiology Unit on 25 December published an updated district and MOH categorisation of confirmed COVID-19 patients, which shows that patients were detected during the previous two weeks in 19 areas in the Colombo District.
The highest number of patients detected was from the Colombo Municipal Council area, where 12,736 persons have tested positive for COVID-19. The Epidemiology Unit adds that 513 persons from Kolonnawa, 368 persons from Hanwella, and 183 persons from Kaduwela have been identified as COVID-19 positive.
In the Gampaha District, 1,113 patients from Mahara, 801 persons from Minuwangoda, and 761 persons from Kelaniya have tested positive for the virus, and 15 areas are considered high-risk areas. The patient categorisation by the Epidemiology Unit also records 588 patients from Bandaragama, 374 patients from Bulathsinhala, and 101 patients from Panadura from the Kalutara District, where patients have been detected during the last 14 days in 12 areas.
With the exception of Mannar, all districts in the country currently have at least one high-risk area where the last patient was detected in the last 14 days.
In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, eight Police areas and seven Grama Sevaka areas in the Colombo District, 15 Grama Sevaka areas and one housing scheme in the Gampaha District, and 12 Grama Sevaka areas in the Kalutara District are currently isolated.
Isolation has also been imposed in 11 Grama Sevaka areas in Ratnapura, nine Grama Sevaka areas in Ampara, nine Grama Sevaka areas in Galle, seven Grama Sevaka areas in Matara, three Grama Sevaka areas in Trincomalee, one Grama Sevaka area in Kandy, one Grama Sevaka area in Monaragala, and one Police area in Kegalle.
Meanwhile, the Health Promotion Bureau states that 1,204,350 PCR tests have been carried out in the island to date, including 12,222 tests performed on Sunday.
“Rapid antigen testing on persons leaving the Western Province will continue to be administered. Around 8,600 persons have been subjected to rapid antigen testing and the total number of patients detected so far is 54,” Police Spokesperson DIG Ajith Rohana stated.
He added that 280 close associates of detected patients have been identified and quarantined.
